Peru recalls ambassador from Mexico after comments by López Obrador

Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has permanently recalled the country's ambassador to Mexico after comments by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador about Peru's former leader.

The embattled Peruvian leader announced the move on Friday after López Obrador called Peru's government "unconstitutional" and asserted that former Peruvian president Pedro Castillo was "illegally ousted."

Castillo was impeached and arrested in December after trying to dissolve Peru's congress. He was ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for 18 months, where he remains, on charges of committing the "crime of conspiracy or rebellion."

Castillo's attempt to dissolve parliament led to widespread protests in which at least 50 people died. Those demonstrations continued through last month, with 17 people killed in a single day in January.

The Mexican ambassador to Peru last month was given 72 hours to leave the country after Castillo and his family were offered asylum in Mexico.

After announcing Friday's move, Boluarte said relations between Peru and Mexico had been downgraded to the level of "chargé d'affaires."

"Mr. López has decided to support the coup d'état carried out by the now former president Pedro Castillo on December 7, 2022, which led to a unanimous rejection by the institutions that make up the democratic order in Peru and the decision of the Congress of the Republic to remove him from office with the vote of 101 of its 130 parliamentarians," Boluarte said in a televised speech, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.

"With his statements, Mr. López violates the principle of international law about non-interference in internal affairs, as well as those referring to the defense and promotion of democracy," she said.

López Obrador made the comments Thursday at the National Palace in Mexico City where he met with Castillo's wife, Lilia Paredes.